


A Bad Idea

by LuminousGloom



Series: R/S 24hr challenges! [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Hogwarts, Potions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 17:10:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13439400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuminousGloom/pseuds/LuminousGloom
Summary: Sirius is feeling rubbish, but help is at hand!





	A Bad Idea

**Author's Note:**

> 24 hour challenge set by [tpants](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Tpants/pseuds/Tpants): “A bad idea. Using the words: pink, blanket, horn, painting, gurgle, frolic, Giant Squid, broom, and abracadabra"

Never has anyone felt this bad. No one can ever have been this ill. Emerging from under his duvet, Sirius wipes his heated forehead, blinking weakly at the sound of the front door.

Then Remus, still in his coat, looks in on him. ‘All right, Pads? How are you feeling?’

Sirius just lets out a prolonged moan.

‘Still that bad? D’you want a cup of tea? An extra blanket?’

‘No,’ Sirius grinds out, his voice so hoarse it’s barely audible. ‘I just want this to be over.’

‘Right.’ Remus disappears again. Sirius can hear him moving about the flat, putting the kettle on in their tiny kitchen. There’s the rustle of a large paper bag, followed by small thuds of things being placed on the kitchen table. Maybe Moony’s planning to cook something. Is that a good idea? He’s not the worst cook there is, frankly neither of them is particularly gifted in the kitchen, but he’d rather not have to deal with an explosion…

‘Moony,’ he calls out feebly. ‘Water…’

Remus, now sans coat and shoes, brings him a glass of water. Perching on the edge of the bed, he touches Sirius’ forehead. His hand feels wonderfully cool, and he seems so clean and put together, and his jumper looks so soft… Sirius knows that in his current state he’s no oil painting, but a sticky and sweaty mess. Cursing this blasted disease, he wants to pull Moony closer, but he doesn’t want to make him recoil.

‘I’ve got you some medicine,’ Remus says gently. ‘Well, I’ve still got to make it.’

‘Muggle medicine?’ 

‘Oh no. Muggles haven't got any medicine for this, only things to suppress the symptoms. The Muggle way is to live through it.’ 

‘Merlin, no...’ Sirius protests, his voice failing him.

Remus grins. ‘So I’m making you a potion. It came highly recommended by Briggs at the apothecary.’

‘Ah.’ Sirius tries to sound grateful. ‘Is that – I mean, is that definitely a good idea?’ Moony’s potioneering disasters are legendary.

Remus rolls his eyes. ‘All the mollycoddling and looking after I have to endure after every single full moon, and the earful I get if I dare to object! This stuff is going to sort you out. And you’re going to lie back and take it like a man.’ 

‘Yes, all right, all right!’ Sirius gives in, closing his eyes. 

He drifts off and dozes while Remus rummages in the kitchen. Then he is roused by a sudden tap on his shoulder. 

‘Here you go.’ Moony presents him with a tumbler full of a pale orange liquid. It keeps moving, swirling and gurgling softly. 

‘That was quick…?’ Sirius blinks and swallows. ‘Thank you.’ He grips the glass and sits up sightly. ‘What is this exactly?’

‘It’s called Pink Fire. Herbs, mainly, and a few other things, you know. Elk horn, Giant Squid ink, winter savoury, Scotch broom...’ 

‘Are you sure it’s meant to be this colour?’ Remus gives him a look, and Sirius sighs. ‘Thank you, Moony.’ He smiles sheepishly, genuinely touched that Remus has gone to all this effort. ‘Do I have to say anything? Abracadabra?’

Remus shrugs. ‘If you like.’

‘Down the hatch, then.’ Taking a deep breath, Sirius knocks back the potion. At first it tastes sort of grassy and fresh, but it almost instantly turns smoky in his throat. Sirius gulps a few times, gasping for breath. Then the effects set in.

The tingling starts in his fingertips and in his toes, quickly becoming full blown needles and pins. Distraught, Sirius kicks off his duvet, and then he literally bursts into flames. Pink magical fire, dancing up his arms and legs, across his abdomen and up his chest and neck, now even his face is alight!

Sirius wants to scream, but finds he can’t. He bats at the flames in a panic, writhing and flailing about, though Moony holds him down. And then it’s already over. 

‘What the hell was that?’ Sirius shouts, his voice full and clear now. Remus is grinning, and looking smug, if slightly surprised. ‘You utter bastard! Why didn’t you warn me this would happen?’ 

‘You never would've tried it.’ Remus shrugs. ‘Anyway, I wasn’t sure how well it would work. It didn’t hurt though, did it? How are you feeling?’

Sirius huffs and shakes his limbs. ‘It's still stinging a bit.’ He clears his throat. ‘But I think I’m better?’ His head is no longer fuzzy, his chest no longer feels tight. In fact, his body is beginning to stir with the sort of restless energy that makes Padfoot want to run off and frolic, that makes Sirius want to pounce on Remus and snog him senseless, just for starters.

In one smooth movement he removes his sweaty pyjama top, and getting up, he kicks off his pyjama bottoms, too. 

Remus laughs, watching him in amazement. ‘It’s really worked then...’ 

‘Oh yes.’ Reaching for his wand, Sirius bends to kiss him, before remembering himself. ‘Got to clean myself up a bit. But you stay here!’ He points his wand at the bedding, which magically cleans and rearranges itself. 

'Right.' Remus raises a quizzical eyebrow, but nods amicably. ‘Feeling sprightly, are we?’

‘Absolutely. I’m just going for a quick shower. And then how about we go over this _lying back and taking it like a man_ business one more time. In some detail.’

"Oh yeah?" Laughing again, Remus plonks himself down on the fresh bed. ‘Fine. By all means,' he grins, stretching out. 'It's probably worth keeping the recipe for that potion.’

**Author's Note:**

> _If you would like to take part in a R/S 24h challenge (it's informal and fun, all R/S artists and writers welcome!) there's more info[here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/rs24hrchallenge/profile) including how to get in touch with us!_


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